WWD Week in Review: 3/5/10

The top stories for the week ending in March 5, 2010.

Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana consider themselves designers as well as customer service professionals, who listen to what their clients want. These days, that doesn’t include wearing what appeals just to magazine stylists, something Dolce and Gabbana kept in mind last season while addressing the customer’s feminine wiles. And last Sunday, their practical focus fell on a woman’s masculine side with a stunning collection rooted in “sartorialità,” or tailoring, Italian-style. As the saying goes, if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it. And by that standard, Frida Giannini just might have taken Gucci down that tricked-out, laced-up but bankable road again. But not this time. Giannini did an about-face, and in her most successful show since joining the company, delivered a clean, polished collection that pulsed with insouciant glamour. “The New Chic” was how Giorgio Armani defined his fall collection, according to program notes. And since Armani prides himself on maintaining a constant minimum of high chic, grounded in his long-established house codes of strong, sophisticated tailoring and elegant evening attire — dually represented here — the question was, what did he consider new? No, not the fringy, in-your-face hats but color: saturated Crayola tones, such as orange, cherry red, pink and the deep emerald green that opened the show. See all collections from Milan fashion week here>> See the scene backstage, all the parties, front row scoops and videos from the Milan shows>>

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A room full of toiles at the haute couture atelier in the Dior exhibition at Les Arts Décoratifs, open in Paris since July 5. This is just one of three major exhibitions that have been timed to coincide with the house's 70th anniversary. See the rest of the exhibits, plus read WWD's look into the iconic brand's history. Link in bio. #wwdfashion (📷: @dominiquemaitre)

For spring, Pamplemousse's Danica Zheng presented her signature slip dresses attached to a white T-shirt along with floral windbreakers, off-the-shoulder cotton blouses and more. For more highlights from the New York trade shows, go to WWD.com. #wwdfashion

The Green Carpet Fashion Awards closed out Milan Fashion Week yesterday. The fashion industry flocked to the event, showing its efforts to support and spread the message of sustainability. Supermodel Gisele Bündchen said "if each one of us took at least one step is this direction, there is no saying how much could be done." #wwdeye #wwdfashion #mfw (📷: Lodovico Colli di Felizzano)

Etro’s show, titled “The Tree of Life,” was a celebration of the house’s 50th anniversary. “My father founded the company in 1968, which was the year of counterculture and psychedelia. It’s really a show that celebrates that and the paisley design of India and its origin,” said Veronica Etro. #wwdfashion #mfw #ss18 (📷: @delphineachard)

For her first solo album in over 10 years, Fergie tapped Carine Roitfeld, Mert and Marcus, Giovanni Bianco and more to create a fashion-focused video approach for the record, Double Dutchess. "Giovanni really helped me get back in touch with my tomboy side, my hardside," said the singer. #wwdeye #wwdfashion ( : @slovekinpics)